Florida lawmakers want more giant snakes banned

MIAMI (AP) — Some Florida lawmakers and other House members want the Obama administration to add five types of giant snakes to an existing federal python ban.

Eighteen representatives signed a bipartisan letter sent Monday to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell asking for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to add boa constrictors, reticulated pythons and three species of anacondas to the ban.

Burmese pythons, yellow anacondas, and northern and southern African pythons were declared injurious species under the Lacey Act in 2012. That prohibits anyone from importing the snakes or transporting them across state lines.

The lawmakers say the wildlife service has failed to take action in the last two years to ban the five other snake species, which comprise most of the trade in large constrictor snakes.

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